Stench warning device



April 26, 1949.l J. w. G. JONES 2,468,369

STENCH WARNING DEVICE Filed July 9, v1946 Patented Apr. 26, 1949 STATES PATE/Nr oFF-ice STENGH WARNING-.- DEVICE- sota- Applica-tion- July- 9, 1946, Seria-1f No.- 682,1754

'T Claims. l.

This invention relates to warning devices and more particularly to stench warning; devices such as are used in. underground mines andv other places where workmen are confined within restricted spaces which may extendover wide. areas and' at diilerent elevations and thus make personal: warnings extremely difficult, if not impossible.

When there occurs a disaster of' one kind or anotlierl (for example, nre, flood, noxiousgases, et'cJ it is, of course, necessary to abandon the installation as' rapidly asI possible. In underL ground mines; in particular, the Workmen are scattered over a very' Wide area, possibly overv several square miles, and' at different elevations; and should abandonment of' the mine be neces'- saryrtirere isl insui'cient time to personally'warn each workman.A

Various warning methods forv such installations haveA heretofore been proposed, but soA far' as I am aware all" of thenr embodyl some undesirable characteristics; Of these prionartmethods', the one which at present appears to possessthe" greatest possibilities is' thatY which includes' the releaseof' a stench, orl exceptionally disagreeable odor. The stench may be injected into the Ventilating system, or it1 may be injected into the piping' off the compressed air4 systemY with which seine' :minesv are equipped'A (for the operation of' the mining tools, etc). the stench through the Ventilating system or through the1 compressed1 air system Wouldl enable it tor reach numerous, andv possibly all", portions of an underground mine;' but such methods of transporting theatoniized stench necessitate too l'ongay time forA the warningV tobe effective to all concerned.- But properl eilicien'cy' may be achieved if the stench is atomized and rapidly releasedV into` theV atmosphere at numerousV points throughout the'und'erground mine or'other instal.- lation.

According to the teachings of' the present in.- vention the installation (such as an underground' mine) may be. providedl with numerous suitably' disposedportable units through which the.' stench u'rayv be released7A and' atomized either through: the medium ofA the available. compressed air (if there be such) or' through a self-contained source. of? power.

It is accordingly among the objects of' the present' invention to provide a highly eilicient'. warning device ofthe type' referred to immedialsel'y hereinhefore.

Another ohifect is thel provision ofi a unitary device of the" class described which may beh The t'ransportation'V of actuated by remoten control as well'. asat the point of installation..

Still. another objectis; the attainment.. of the foregoing. by a combination of elements which, while highly efficient. in. operationis. simple and inexpensive to manufacture, install, operate and maintain..

The. invention,v them comprises. the. features hereinafter describedand;v asf-particularly pointed out in the. claims, the: following. descriptionl and the annexed draw-ings', setting forth in. detail cer;- tain illustrative embodiments ofthe invention, these. Being, indicative of several ofthe numher of' ways in whichthe principles. of' the invention may be employed..

In. said drawings:

Figure. 1' is an. elevations. partly in, section,. ot the apparatus of the invention;

Figure. 2A is. a view on the li'ne II`II of Figure 1;, and

Figure 3.v is an. enlarged sectional. elevationv of a fusible connectionthrough which the. apparatus. is operated;

Referring more particularly to the drawings-,- the nluneral 2'. designates. a vertically disposed' cylinder of metaljor. othersu'ahle material'whioh is. easily portable. and' readily adaptablefor attachment toa mine postr or other convenient" ohject; Thecylinder 2f is provided. Wi'than inten mediate air-tight partitior-LSE which forms a; lower.

compartment and.' an upper compartment,. for

purposes. which. will appear hereinafter.

Referring more particularly to Figure l, the

bottom. ot. the vertically disposedcylnder 2' car'- ries a pipe flange Si'which is. adaptedl to cooperate with a detachable closure-plate 8l, the latter beingv secured' tothe pipe flange'V 5'inI any suitable man ner.. An ain-tight seal.' Between the detachable. closure plate 6 and, the pipe flange 5 is obtained. by the use of an` interinedi'atel'y.y disposed" gasket TL. The detachable closure plate E.' is providedwith a central openingvvhich communicates with the'. pipe 9. the latter comxnunicating with a conventional atomizer which as such. forms. no part of.2

` the present invention. andjis" accordingly neither illustrated. in the drawings non further descrihed. herein.

Secured to the upperk surface of' thev detachable closure plate Gisa unitarymetallic cage l0 which: comprises a plurality off short vertical uprights, a horizontalmetal screen platform and a super:- posedl collar. This. unitary metallicV cage Hr isconstructed". and arrangedv to firmly support a sealed container' X. of" ethyl. mercaptan or other 55 volatile stench. It i's contemplated thatth'e'ethyl mercaptan or other stench will be furnished in a typical sealed glass bottle and accordingly there is provided at the top of the lower compartment of the metallic cylinder 2 a thick pad II of cork or other resilient material for cushioning the top of the said bottle.

The upper compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 is provided in the central portion of its head, or top closure, with a central aperture which communicates with a nipple I3 and such other pipe fittings as may be necessary to permit charging the said upper compartment with compressed air or other suitable gas under pressure. type of valve which will permit the introduction of gas under pressure through a simple automobile tire pump, or similar hand pump. On the other hand, the nipple I3 may take the form of a fitting for communication with the compressed air service, etc., if such is available. In any case, the construction of the upper compartment of the cylinder 2 is such as to retain gas lunder suitable pressures for considerable periods of time, and in order to ascertain the pressure of the gas within the said compartment, there may be provided a conventional pressure gage (not shown) Adjacent its lower end, the side wall of the upper compartment of the cylinder 2 is apertured to communicate with a short section of pipe I4, the latter carrying a quick-opening valve I6 for the rapid release of the compressed air or other gas within the said upper compartment. The quick-opening valve I5 is entirely conventional and may take the form of the well known disk type of construction (not shown) which is so designed that pressure (within the upper compartment of the cylinder 2) will actually assist in the opening of the valve. l

Referring more particularly to Figure 2, the valve I6 comprises a valve stem I'I which extends vertically and is sectionalized, the adjoining sections providing a scarfed joint which is secured by a cotter pin I 8. A metallic plate forms a horizontal platform I9 having a center of sumcient size to receive the bonnet of the valve I6 and to permit the said plate to rest on the valve body. At the exhaust side of the valve It a pipe 2I extends therefrom, and pipe clamps 22 grip the pipes 2l and I4 to secure the horizontal platform i9 in position. The horizontal platform I9 extends laterally from the valve I6 at either side, as shown in Figure 2. On the upper surface of one overhanging side of the platform I9 there is supported a vertically extending post 24 carrying at its upper end a pivotally attached crossbar 26. In the center of the crossbar 26 there is an aperture which receives, and pivotally holds, the upper end of the sectionalized valve stem II. Surrounding the valve stem II is a coil spring 28, the bottom of which seats against the body of the valve I5, with the top of the said spring seating against the bottom of the crossbar 26. The purpose of this coil spring is to assist in the rapid opening of the valve I6.

` Between the outer end of the crossbar and the underlying portion of the horizontal platform I9 there extends a sectional link 30. The upper end of the sectional link 3D extends through and projects beyond the crossbar and carries a right angularly extending pin 34 on which a cam 35 is pivotally mounted. The opposite end of the sectional link 35 extends through, and projects beyond, the horizontal platform I9 and carries an adjustably disposed wing nut 31.

That is, the nipple I3 may comprise a Intermediate its ends the sectional link 30 is constructed and arranged to provide a fusible link which is adapted for rapid disconnection t0 permit the quick-opening valve I6 to function. More specifically, the intermediate portion of the sectional link comprises two connected brass sections 38 which are shaped to provide a stepped joint. As shown in Figure v3tl'1e stepped joint between the two connected brass sections 38 is soldered with Woods metal and surrounded with a thin sheet of mica insulation 39. Surrounding the thin sheet of mica insulation 39 is a coil 40 of light resistance wire, and surrounding the latter is an outer sheet of thin mica insulation 4I. A thin brass'lcase 42 covers the whole fusible link assembly; and a pair of wires 43 connect the ends of the coil 43 with a suitable source of electric current (not shown) Referring particularly to Figure 1, the numeral 50 designates a horizontally disposed cylinder having an end 52 of reduced diameter which screw-threadedly engages an opening in the lower side wall of the lower compartment of the cylinder 2 and is centrally bored to communicate therewith. The diameter of the main bore of the cylinder 53 is substantially larger than that of its reduced end 52 and within it there is dis. posed a piston 53 having a piston rod 54, the outer end of which is pointed and. adapted to extend through the reduced end 52 of the cylinder 55 and substantially into the lower end of the lower compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 when the said piston assumes the dotted line position indicated in Figure 1. However, the piston 53 is biased into the solid line position shown by means of a coiled spring 55, and when in such position the pointed piston rod 54 is withdrawn from the lower compartment of the vertically disposed .cylinder 2. The end of the horizontally disposed cylinder 5U which is opposite the screw-threaded end 52 of reduced diameter is closed by means of a screw cap 5l having a central opening which carries in screwthreaded engagementa pipe nipple 58 which extends into the bore of the cylinder 5I] to serve as a stop for the piston 53 when it is in its extreme right hand position, as shownin full lines. This pipe nipple 58 is connected by means of suitable piping 59 to the pipe 2| which connects with the exhaust side of the quick-opening valve I6.

As shown most clearly in Figure l, the side wall of the horizontally disposed cylinder 50 has a vertically extending opening to which there is screw-threadedly connected a pipe 62 which connects with an aperture in the upper portion of the lower compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2.

. When the piston 53 (in the horizontally disposed cylinder 50) is in the dotted line positionA there will be communication between the upper portion of ythe lower compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 and the exhaust side of the quick-opening valve I6.

, The lower end of the side wall of the lower compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 is provided with an enlarged portion or bushing 65 at a position which is opposite the piston rodv 54. This bushing carries in screw-threaded engagement a valves-tem 66, the inner end of which is sharpened and adapted to extend substantially into the adjacent lower compartment. The outer end of the valve stem 6B carries a hand wheel 61 for permitting the easy manual movement of the said valve stem to its extreme positions.

In operation:

The cam 3B on the outer end of the crossrcd '2S is set to its maximum setting and the win-g nut 31 on the 'lower endy of the sectional link 3D is adjusted until the cuickppening valve it is in its tightly closed position.

- A sealed bottle X of suitable stench, suc-h as ethyl mercaptan, is introduced into the lower compartment of the vertically disposed cyiinder Z through the agency of the removable air-tight closure .plate 6 and its superposed bottle-supporting cage Hl.

After the insertion of the bottle X into the cage IQ and the replacement of the closure plate 6, the neck of the bottie eng-ages the padv N which immediately underlies the partition plate A3.

The upper compartment of the cylinder 2 is charged with a suitable gas and this may be accomplished either by attaching the nipple I3 at the top of the said cyiinder y2 to a compressed 'air line or by utilizing a hand pump or simi-lar instrumentality.

When there is gas in the upper compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 the cam 35 on the outer end of the crossbar 26 may be tripped to open the quick-opening valve l-G, allowing gas under pressure to new through the piping 59, and against the outer end of the pis-ton 53 in the horizontally disposed cylinder 5t. The sudden pressure of the gas against the piston 53 will force the piston rod 54 through the reduced end 52 of the cylinder 5E) and into the lower compartment of the cylinder 2; whereupon its sharpened extremity will break the side wall of the container X, thereby permitting the ethyl mercaptan, or other liquid stench, to flow out and downwardly through the screen door of the metal cage l). The gas pressure against the outer end of the piston 53 will force it to so com press the coiled spring 55 and assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, whereupon gas will be permitted to flow from the pipe nipple 58 and through the pipe 62. This joy-passing of the gas into the top of the lower compartment of the vertically disposed cylinder 2 results in such a pressure within the said compartment as will force the liquid stench out through the closure plate 6 and into the atomizer not shown) from which it will be dispensed into the atmosphere.

In the event of failure of the horizontally disposed cylinder 50 and its associated instrumentalities, the container X may be broken by the simple expedient of manually screwing in the valve stem 66.

In operating the device by remote control, electric current is applied to the wires 43 which connect the opposite ends of the light resistance coil 4U whereby the Woods metal is melted to open the stepped joint of the fusible link, whereupon the coil spring 28 will quickly open the valve I6.

It will be understood that the teachings of the invention contemplate the use of the units hereinbefore described in. suitable number and disposition throughout the installation; and that the same may if desired be operated singly or in various stages of unison.

While I have shown and described certain specie embodiments of the present invention. it

will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A warning device comprising a chamber communicating with the atmosphere, a frangible container Within said chamber, a stench within said frang-ible container, 'a reservoir for maintaining gas under pressure, a cylinder, a piston and piston rod in said cylinder, said piston rod being constructed and arranged to extend into said chamber and puncture said frangi-ble container when the said piston is in its outer position with respect to said cylinder, means connecting said reservoir and said cylinder, a valve in 'said last-named means, remote 'control means for actuating said valve, said cylinder having a port which is opened when the said piston is in its outer position, means connectingr said port and said chamber, and means tending to maintain said piston in its inner position.

A warning device comprising a first chamber communicating with the surrounding a'tmcsphere, a closed container mounted within said first chamber, a volatile odorifer-ous material conned in said container, a second cham'- bei' adapted to confine a compressed gas, means for rupturing said container, means for operat ing said rupturing means by pressure of gas from within said second chamber, valve means for controlling said operating means, and means connecting said second chamber and said nrst chamber after operation of said rupturing means for admitting gas to said first chamber and dispersing the odoriferous material.

3. A warning device comprising a first chamber communicating with the surrounding atmosphere, a closed container mounted within said first chamber, a volatile odoriferous material confined in said container, a second chamber adapted to conne a compressed gas, means supported on said first chamber and adapted to be projected thereinto for rupturing said container, means connecting said second chamber with said rupturing means for projecting the latter by pressure of gas from within said second chamber, valve means in said connecting means for controlling operation of said rupturing means, and means connecting said second chamber and said first chamber after operation of said rupturing means for admitting gas to said first chamber and dispersing the odoriferous material.

4. A warning device comprising a first chamber communicating with the surrounding atmosphere, a closed container mounted within said rst chamber, a Volatile odoriferous material confined in said container, a second chamber adapted to confine a compressed gas, a cylinder supported on said first chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder and adapted to be projected into said first chamber for rupturing said container, a pipe connecting said second chamber and said cylinder for admitting gas to said cylinder and projecting said plunger, a valve in said pipe for controlling admittance of gas to said cylinder, and means connecting said second chamber and said rst chamber after projection of said plunger for admitting gas to said rst chamber and dispersing the odoriferous material.

5. A warning device comprising a rst chamber :communicating with the surrounding atmosphere, a closed container mounted within said rst chamber, a volatile odoriferous material conned in said container, a second chamber adapted to conne a compressed gas, a cylinder supported on said rst chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder and adapted to be projected into said rst chamber for rupturng said container, spring means urging said plunger to retracted position, a pipe connecting said second chamber and said cylinder for admitting gas to said cylinder and projecting said plunger against the action of said spring means, a valve in said pipe for controlling admittance of gas to said cylinder, and a pipe connecting said cylinder and said first chamber, said plunger acting as a valve for interconnecting said second named pipe to said rst named pipe after projection of the plunger for admitting gas to said rst chamber and dispersing the odoriferous material.

6. A warning device comprising a chamber communicating with the atmosphere, a frangible container within said chamber, a Volatile stench within said frangible container, a reservoir for maintaining gas under pressure, pipe means connecting said reservoir and said chamber, a valve in said pipe means and when open establishing communication between said reservoir and said chamber through said pipe means, remote control means for actuating said valve, and means operated by gas from said reservoir for puncturing said container upon actuation of said valve.

7. In a warning device, a irst chamber having communication with the atmosphere and adapted to house a closed container of odoriferous material, a second chamber iixed to said rst chamber and adapted to coniine a compressed gas, a cylinder fixed on said rst chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder for projection into said rst chamber to rupture the container housed therein, a rst pipe connecting said second chamber and said cylinder for admitting gas to said cylinder and projecting said plunger, a valve in said first pipe for controlling admittance of gas to said cylinder, a second pipe connecting said cylinder and said iirst chambenand means on said plunger establishing communication between said rst pipe and said second pipe when said plunger is projected for admitting gas from said second chamber to said first chamber.

` JOHN W. G. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,438,463 Saner Dec. 12, 1922 1,827,723 Allen et al. Oct. 31, 1931 1,924,783 Goss Aug. 29, 1933 2,065,635 Weinert Dec; 29, 193s 

